Installation of Solar Panels to power Laboratory at Mater Misericordiae Hospital, July 2019

In July 2019, MMCF completed the installation of solar panels to power the laboratory at Mater Misericordiae Hospital.   The laboratory was targeted because  of the very important need to diagnose illness correctly.  In 2014 ebola in Nigeria was contained due to proper diagnosis and then quarantine of the outbreak. 
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However, as Fr. Edward explains, one of the major health challenges in Nigeria today is misdiagnosis of illnesses. 
Because the solar panels provide a constant and economical power source for the laboratory, the hospital has been able to more quickly diagnose illness.  The hospital has also been able to redirect the savings from its operating expenses (specifically, the exorbitant cost of diesel fuel to operate the laboratory's power generator) to other much needed efforts in its mission to improve the healthcare for the rural poor of Ebonyi State. ​

Contractor, Stephen Kalu, installs "Thunder Protector" a mechanism designed to safeguard the solar panels during lightning storms.

Batteries and inverter needed to store solar power since rural Nigeria lacks a power grid from which hospital can draw power when the sun is not shining